1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an insertion head having at least one twisting device for electrical components, the turret-like insertion head having a stator and a rotor, on which a large number of circularly distributed grippers are mounted such that they can rotate about a mounting axis, the insertion head having an optical measuring device for detecting the position of the components held on the grippers, and it being possible for the components to be twisted accurately into the required mounting position by a precision twisting device after being measured optically.
2. Description of the Related Art
European Patent Document EP-C 0 315 799 discloses providing an insertion device with a moveable turret head, in which the grippers provided with suction pipettes are arranged on a rotor such that they stand out in star fashion. A stator of the insertion head is provided with processing stations distributed circumferentially.
It is usual to design one of these stations as an optical measuring station, in which the rotational position of the component previously picked up is determined. In a subsequent twisting station, the position of the component is changed in accordance with the desired installation position. This change includes a coarse twist, for example in 45° steps, corresponding to the desired installation position, and precision twisting, by means of which the fetching-in accuracy in picking up the components from a feed device is compensated for.
In addition, it is usual to provide the gripper with a disk-like slewing ring of relatively great diameter. On said ring, a friction wheel of the twisting device can be placed radially, whereupon the twisting device is activated and exact twisting of the gripper through a precalculated angle is effected. Since the components are to be placed onto the printed circuit board in different installation positions, the twisting angle may be so large that the entire twisting cycle lasts longer than the operating cycles on other stations of the turret head, which accordingly limits its insertion performance.